Taste: Delicias is Las Cruces' go-to seafood spot

Sometimes in the heat of the summer, all you really want is some fish and a beer.

Delicias Del Mar has been my go-to place for the last few summers for fish ceviche tostadas and a cold one. Located at 1401 El Paseo Road, I had up until recently lived right around the corner. The restaurant has seen upgrades in the last few years, and the prices have gone up a bit, but this is still one of the places to go if you're craving fish in Las Cruces.

Fish is probably one of my favorite meals, but I always heard my Dad's voice in my head when I went out in Las Cruces, "How fresh is fish in a desert?" Yet, the fish at Delicias Del Mar has continually come through in terms of flavor despite us being so far inland. When it opened, my boyfriend — now husband — and I would go to share a bucket a beer and eat ceviche tostadas, especially when I couldn't replicate the taste at home and developed a severe craving.

Now that we live on the other side of town, coming back to eat is slightly more of a treat than a quick trip around the corner which is why I decided to order the most impressive looking dish, aside from their octopus plate: the whole bass ($16.25). I selected the one cooked with a mound of garlic, served with mashed potatoes, rice, a salad garnish, and a fish soup starter.

The warning on the plate is that it takes slightly longer to cook, but it doesn't seem too long with the fish soup starter. Soft-cooked fish with veggies in a slightly spicy soup is a perfect way to curb hunger pangs while you wait. Also, their salsa is faithfully great with corn in the milky cream and crispy jalapeno pieces. It's something I haven't found anywhere else that I love. I tend to slide it close to my side in hopes that my husband stays content with just the salsa.

The whole bass is a good deal of fish to contend with — bones and an angry face included — but the bones are easily avoided digging into the flesh. It's like barbecue in that if you want to really enjoy it, you use your fingers pry the meat off all the nooks and crannies. Once you've finished the first side, flip it over and eat the meat that has been soaking in the buttery juices on the plate.

My husband went with the brocheta de cameron ($13.99) — shrimp and bacon kabob, also served with mashed potatoes, rice, a salad garnish and a fish soup starter. The shrimp were plump and flavorful, and paired nicely with the grilled bell peppers; unfortunately, some of his bacon was very undercooked.

Service was a little off the day we went, but the rotation of waiters and waitresses weren't any that I had seen before. Before, it had been a place where I would bust out my order in Spanish due to the prodding of my tablemate and where I would get an overall pleasant response to my stumbling linguistic attempts.

Overall, I've been happy to see Delicias Del Mar's growth — smarter decor, a bathroom renovation — even with some increased prices. As long as they stay consistent with serving those with a craving good seafood in the desert, they'll continue to have a steady market in Las Cruces.

IF YOU GO

What: Delicias Del Mar

Where: 1401 El Paseo Road

Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday

Cost: Entrees will run about $10-$16, with the average being about $12. One tostada of ceviche is about $3.50 to $5. Traditional Mexican plates without fish will be about $10, and fajitas and chicken is $12.